Automobile lock



H. A. JAMES, JR.

. AUTOMOBILE LOCK. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1919.

'Patehted Jan.10,1922.

z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. A. JAMES, JR.

AUTOMOBILE LUCK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25. 1919.

Patented Jan. 10, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\Ira

mobile Locks,

til-t3 HERBERT A. JAMES, JR WILMINGTON, DELAWARE,

AUTOMOBILE LOCK.

Application filed September 25, 1919.

is to provide simple means within the control of the owner or operator of a machine by which the steering wheel may be easily and quickly unkeyed from the steering post of the machine so that unauthorized operation of the machine is precludechwhile at the same time the running wheels are free to be turned by hand, to steer the ma chine, should the emergency arise for moving it a short distance, such as running the smaller of which it in or out of the garage; in other words this invention is to connector disconnect the steering wheel so that the runningwheels are left perfectly normal but passive and no longer under the control of the steering wheel when disconnected, although controllable from the steering wheel when connected.

This invention consists in a general way, in a nut ecured to the upper end of the steering the nut and upper end of the post having keyways which register with each other and with the regular keyways in the hub of the steering wheel, when the wheel is locked to the post, keys fitted to slide in these key ways, and lockable means wholly within the control of the operator keys in or out of the keyways in the hub of the steering wheel, to lock or unlock the wheel.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l, is a vertical section through the post, wheel, nut, keys, and other connected parts showing them locked;

Figure 2, is a similar wheel unlocked;

Figure 3, is a horizontal section;

Figure 4:, is a section through the telescopview showing the Fig. 5 is a view of the upper end of the steering-post with the cylindrical not removed and shown thereabove, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Figs. 1 and a, taken at right-angles thereto.

Specifioationof Letters Patent.

post ust above'the steering wheel,-

t'or. moving said wheel. the keys 8, are dropped back into keyways 7, wherethey are held by the locking cylinin. locking cylinder and rotatable guard;

Serial at. 326,297;

The numeralcl, represents the steering post, which runs down through the steering column 2, in the usual-manner. The steer 111g wheel 3, is mounted on the upper end of the post 1, as customary, but in lieu of the usual nut, screwed on at the top over the wheel, a specially constructed cylindrical nut 4, is employed and tudinal bore 5, through the longitudinal center, and is provided with keyways 6, preterably two in number, diametrically opposite each other and also running longitudinally,

end of the post and the key is in thiswvayy while the upheld in place at its lower end, per end ofthe key with the larger diameter just fits and fills the keyways 6 and 7 when they are in registry and the keys are dropped into them tolock the steering wheel onthepost.

The locking cylinder 9 is fitted to turn on the cylindrical nut 4e, and it is provided internally with a double screw thread 10, which threads receive the pins 11, on'tlie keys and as the locking cylinder isturned to'the right it'lifts the keys out o f the keyways 7, in the steering wheel hub forcing the keys against the'head of the cylinder.

thereby stopping the further rotation of the latter, and at the same time unlor-king the steering-wheel from the post and con sequently 1t 1s impossible to steer or control the cllrection of the machine from the By reversing the locking cylinder cler. p V

The locking cylinder 9, has a hole 12, in

its top in alinement with the central bore 5, of the nut 4, and the locking cylinder may be locked by means of the Patented Jan. in, 1922.

this has a longiand in position to register with the notches plug 17 in serted within and adapted to turn with the] cylinder 9, the plug carrying the usual pins 18 slidably received in the openings 19. which openings are adapted to register ith the resilient pins 20 carried by the nut 4:,

guard being always free to to dismember the enclosed parts.

.01 the wheel.

. locking cylinder is put in place; 14, are then inserted through holes 15, in therestricted thereto. Y

which normally protrude into the openings 19 in the plug and prevent the rotation of the plug and cylinder 9, said pins 20, however, are dislodged from the opening19by the insertion of a key 21, after which the cylinder 9 may be rotated at will.

A cylindrical guard 13, is rotatably mounted on the cylindrical-nut 4:, and this 'uardand the locking cylinder are telescoplcally fitted togthen. The special function of this guard is to protect the nut keys 8, by: precluding access thereto, the rotate, makes it impossible to apply a wrench or other tool In assembling the parts thus described, first the'steering wheel is placed on the post, then the nut l, is screwed nut &, and the keys are after which the Dowel pins then slipped over the dropped into the keyways,

uard and fastened'in holes 16, in thelockmg cylinder, with theirinner ends extending into the circumferential grooves in the outer surface of the nut t, thereby preventing the several parts thus securedi'rom being separated. .f l V V When the operator ofthe vehicle leaves the machine the locking cylinder is simply turned to the right as far as it will go. This lifts the keys out of the keyways 7, whereupon the key is removedlocking the nut d and cylinder 9 together.

is now entirely released fromthepost and the wheel no longer controls the movement otthecar and only the onehaving the key can release the locking cylinder, but when this is done and the locking cylinder is turned back, to the left the wheel is again locked securely to the steering post. i

It is of course understood that any ap proved form of lock may be used to fasten the locking cylinder and I do not therefore care to be confinedto any particular type ormake of lock, nor

lock be'used as aform of: combination lock is it essential that a key would fully answer the requirements and perhaps be preferred by some. 7

. Furthermore the construction described represents an'approved 'formof my invention but is not by any it may take and hence I claima p 1. The combination with a steering post, a steering wheel loosely mounted thereon, and a cylindrical nut secured on the post for holding the wheel thereon, means for locking the wheel tothe. post which means comprehends a lockingcylinder V rotatably connected with the nut, and keys actuated by 'wheel end of the post unc 4:, and the l on over the hub, The-rotatable guard 13, is vp 'ditions, keys slidably on the post, said nut The steering wheel tion to align with the keyway, in the keyway and the notch in means the only form I do not wishto be of locking the locking cylinder to enter keyways 1n the hub. of the wheel to lock the latter to the post.

2. The combination with a steering post, having keyways at the wheel end thereof, a steering wheel mounted loosely on the post and provided with keyways in its hubiin position to register with the keyways in the ler certain condisaid tions, and. keys slidably mounted in and keyways, of rotatable means carried, by

'inaxial alignment with the post for con- 34:. An automobile lock which includes a post, a steering-wheel loosely mounted ther on, a cylindrical nut for holdingthewheel the hub of the wheel having a notch in position to .align with the keyway, a key slidable in the keyway and the notch in the hub, the key provided with alaterally extending pin,-a'nd a locking cylinder fitted to turn on the nut and embracethe key having an internal thread which receivesflthe pin on the key adapted to move locking cylinder is turned, whereby to lock or unlock the wheel according to the direction in which the-locking cylinder is turned.

5. An automobile lock. which includes a the post for conhaving a keyway, and.

the keyendwise as the post, a steering-wheel loosely mounted thereon, a cylindrical nut for holding the wheel on the post, said nut having akeywayand the hub ofthewheel having a notch in posithe hub, the key provided with a laterally extending pin,

a locking cylinder fitted to turn on the nut and embracethe keynhaving an internal thread which receives adapted to move the key endwise as the'locke ing cylinder is in which the locking cylinder is turned, and a cylindrical guard rotatably mounted upon the locking cylinder. and retained in place thereby.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HERBERT a. JAMES, JR.

the pin on the key a key slidable I turned, whereby to lock or unlock the wheelaccordingto the direction 

